Meanwhile, at the Festival of Russian Language Films

“We’re really excited about this Russian-language film festival we’ll be hosting with you guys. But, um, we’re a bit uncomfortable with the fact that Putin’s rights-abusing and civilian-killing government is contributing to the funding. Their grant is only GBP1,400 so it’s no biggie; we’re happy to make up the difference ourselves as long as you turn down the donation.”

“THAT’S OUTRAGEOUS AND WE REFUSE. YOU ARE RACIST AGAINST ALL RUSSIAN SPEAKING PEOPLE.”

Personally I wouldn’t (just as I think the Guardian made the right decision when it took adverts from both pro-Palestinian and pro-Zionist groups on Monday), but I’d have no objection to someone making the call the other way.

I remain uneasy on the Tricycle, though I don’t really suspect the individuals concerned of bad faith. Possibilities (a) I’m wrong, (b) I haven’t really worked out what was wrong with Tricycle decision (assuming something was wrong), (c) I’m sensitive about anti-semitism because as a very obviously gentile man with an Irish/Scots name, educated at a catholic school, people are very willing to share their anti-Semitic views with me (also their anti-Gypsy views, as it doesn’t occur to them that I might have the odd pikey in the family).

No worries. My take on English culture is that it’s very anti-gypsy, mildly generically racist, and really not very all antisemitic at all, but I’m open to the possibility that this is because I’m perceived as a Jew so people keep quiet (I look Jew-ish; I’m of partially Jewish but mostly Celt & Anglo descent).